Easy Ideas for YOUR MODERN FARMHOUSE

5 simple ways you can refresh your home without hiring outside help.

1. LIGHT UP A ROOM. Don’t underestimate the power of lighting. It’s the jewelry of your home. Exposed light bulbs, mason jar chandeliers and steel pendant lights are all fresh ideas for your modern farmhouse.

2. SHOW YOUR WALLS SOME LOVE. A soft pop of color on an accent wall is a great way to bring in some color without completely overwhelming a room. Cornflower blue, pale mint or buttermilk yellow will bring on the springtime joy after a long winter.

3. LET THE SUNSHINE IN. Install white gauzy curtains over your windows for idyllic country charm. Add blinds behind the curtains for those times when you want a little extra privacy or less sunlight.

4. ALL IN THE DETAILS. If the thought of renovating your kitchen is entirely too daunting to even entertain this year, focus on the little things you can do to update the space. Installing new drawer pulls and knobs is a cost effective and simple way to upgrade a kitchen.

5. HANGING OUT. Hanging plants are a great way to utilize space that might be lacking in pizzazz. Be sure to account for future growth when measuring where you want to hang your new plant!

"We have a modern interior with a semi-traditional shell.”

In the kitchen, bright white cabinets, quartz countertops and pendant lights give the space a “picture-perfect” feel, but it’s also functional with ample countertop space, a kitchen island with extra storage and open shelving to make grabbing dishes easier. “In some sense, farmhouses have a utilitarian industrial flavor to them,” James says, and he used this principle both inside and outside the home.

James created a kitchen that serves as a communal area for the family. “It’s a kitchen that’s meant to have people in it and hanging out with you while you’re cooking,” he says. High ceilings, bright natural light and wide walkways welcome guests into the space.